MAC Eye Liner Tricks and Tips

[MAC_Whore]

I would like to know what your favourite tricks for eye liner are. How do you apply it? Do you layer with other products? What product do you use? Which brush? Come on, dish! Have a problem with eye lining? Throw it out there and lets work it out.

I'll start. One of my fave lining tricks for a smokey eye is to smudge Feline Kohl Power at my lower lash line and lightly onto my waterline. They I take Powersurge Eye Kohl and smudge it into the Feline, especially concentrating it at the lower inner eye line. It makes a killer sexy, smokey, metallic eye.

Your turn

 

[wolfsong]

Re: Eye Liner Tricks and Tips

My tips are very basic (alas, im a novice):
For anyone who has MAC's Black Black pigment (or other pigments to use for lining), and hasnt had much success with it:

I use it mixed with Smashbox's Offset (mixed together before application - either on a clean hand or a clean flat surface) - it doesnt budge once dried, can be smudged whilst wet (slightly thicker than water), and there isnt that 'falling onto cheeks and leaving black smears' issue. Also Black Black/eyesafe pigs mixed with contact solution are wonderful for waterlining - they dont sting like liquid liners usually do (both products are eyesafe) and last longer than normal eye pencils (i havent tried MACs though).
Using a short stiff brush helps with application, and also lining the eye in small sections, rather than in one go makes it easier to get the line straight. Some people find it easier to dab on colour, rather than brushing it on - i personally hate dabbing on makeup though.

Im a clutz when it comes to lining, so i keep one of those cottonwool makeup buds (like those you clean ears with) nearby, pre-dipped in eye makeup remover solution to correct any mistakes. Also because of this, I find it easier to rest my elbow on a flat surface when doing precise makeup.

Because the holiday season is upon us, ive started dabbing loose (eyesafe) glitter products (Fyrinnae and Tony & Tiny have eyesafe 'glitter') onto a line of either clear Offset, or Offset mixed with pigment (applied before it dries). I find it holds well, but i wouldnt recommend it for non-eyesafe glitter so close to the eyeball, because there will be a couple of flakes that make their way there. You can also use this method to apply glitter over eyeshadows (im loving the Offset at the mo!) She Laq (Benefit) is meant to be better for sealing, but i presume less eyesafe.

I like extending the lower lash eyeliner line out slightly/not so slightly - so that it doesnt meet the inner corner of the eye (think cat eyes, a bit 'upside-down Nike tick' looking). This looks great with the 'lolita doll' look, and also makes your eyes look bigger. I usually do the top line either Angelina Jolie style (she seems to only apply eyeliner one way!), or a thin line with 2 'ticks' on each eye (though i personally like the manga, harajuku, lolita, cosplay makeup look - makeup that would look silly at work...)

Unless you are in a professional situation, its fun to play with eyeliner - finding out what shapes/colours suit your eye shape/colour, and what look you are trying to achieve.

 

[BlahWah]

Not really a trick, but I use the 316 lip brush to apply Fluidline. I've never used it on my lips, just couldn't bust out cash for a thinner lining brush b/c the 266 with the brush set wasn't cutting it. Much easier to control with thinner lines, winging out, building up and picking up less product. =D

One trick I do when using Violet Underground eye khol is dot a bit of Non-Conformist into it so it doesn't smudge as much but keeps the khol texture. A variation of that is smudging Duck PowerPoint just above the outer 2/3 of my lashline to soften the lines I made with Graphic Brown. More pigmented than shadow and faster to apply, for me anyway.

 

[spectrolite]

I have problems applying eyeliner a lot of the time. 80% of the time I can't make a decent wing to save my life and my eyelashes are so curly that when I apply Kohl for instance, they end up getting smushed in with the Kohl and covered in the stuff. I really don't like pulling at the corner of my eye to get a flatter and more workable space so I guess what works for me is to slowly apply it in small sections because trying to draw one fluid line just ain't gonna happen! And thank heavens for Smudge brushes... Even the wonkiest line can be coaxed into cooperation with a gentle smoothing action.

Since I usually totally ruin my wings, I've started making patterns out of the accidents. Sometimes I will do some swirly lines, branches, leaves or make dots or little asterisk's. I do this mainly because I don't really feel like removing the wonky wing and having to fix my eyeshadow again and I enjoy drawing on my face

 

[liquidsirenhoney]

i have the worst luck applying liner to my left eye, it always comes out a little off, my right eye on the other hand always comes out perfect, a lot of times ihave to use liquid liners just so it's easier to make them look even.

 

[GlamYOURUs]

I had to practice for years to be successful in applying liner. Now I can apply liner on my top waterline w/o squinting my eyes. lol All you need is a good, not so sharpened pencil liner.

 

[aziajs]

I like to layer eyeliners. Yesterday I lined my lashline with liquid liner then went over it with Smolder Eye Kohl. Sometimes I then go over that with Carbon eyeshadow. I play with the order and products but layering is key.

 

[purrtykitty]

yeah, i layer eyeliners, too. i'll put a liner on, and then smudge an eyeshadow or pigment over the top of it with an eyeliner brush. sometimes i use a similar color, sometimes i won't, it depends on my mood. since i have trouble with makeup staying underneath my eyes (i have no clue why), i've started using UDPP and i have no trouble at all (extra bonus for me...i can sub UDPP for a concealor).

 

[iamlelilien]

I pretty much always line my upper waterline by getting Blacktrack on a small brush and pressing it against my upper waterline, no matter what kind of eyeliner I'm doing.

For a long time I had been lining with dry eyeshadow applied with an angled brush, and it looked subtle and smudged. But I stopped doing that recently because it was making me get really lazy with my eye makeup and I need to get out of that habit.

If I'm doing light eyeliner, I use an eyeliner pencil to tightline. I can't remember what kind because I barely ever use pencils. It's usually either fluidline or eyeshadow.

If I'm doing heavier eyeliner with smooth edges, I tightline, and then I get wet black eyeshadow on a small eyeliner brush and line outside my eyelashes with that.

If I'm doing heavier smudgy eyeliner, I get Blacktrack fluidline on the tip of a small eyeshadow brush (haha I know, that sounds kind of scary and really heavy, but it can be done carefully) and line with that, and then I use a soft angled brush to put Carbon over it and smudge it outward. If I want it to look really heavy and smokey, I'll also use dark brown, purple, or grey around the edges of the black and blend that farther outward.

I rarely put anything on my lower waterline, but when I do, I use Blacktrack fluidline.

 

[elegant-one]

I layer my liners too. I always line upper & lower lash lines with a sepia brown (black/brown) then add Bobbie Brown gel eyeliner in black at upper lash line, & then for a darker look, add chanel black waterproof eyeliner at upper waterline, going in between lash roots.
Under bottom liner, Sue Devitts Eye Intensifier pencil in Tanzania (gorgeous red bronze) makes your eyes pop.

 

[elegant-one]

Another of my new favorite liners are Bourjois new Metallic waterproof liners in bronze & a beautiful black. The black is a soft gray black because of the metallic color...they're awesome - very very creamy & nice to apply.